Fruit gatherer



Paten1ed Jan 13, 1925.

RENKA. I-I. SIEEK'IEN, 03: MARSI-IALL'IOWN, IOWA.

Application fi1ed May 6,

T0 all whom z't may concevm;

'Be it known that I, RENKA H. SIEFKEN, a citizen of the United States,lesiding at Marshalltown, in the county 01 Marshall and State o-f Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fruit Gathern 0fwhich the following is a specification.

This inven'tion relates t0 new and usefu1 improvements in fruitg-atherers and has reference m0re 1: articu1arly t0 nient over mycoPending apphcation bearing Serial N0. 690,563, fi1ed Febvuary 4, 1924.

One 0f the important objects of the present invention is to provide af1u'1t gatherer 0f the above mentioned characer, wherein a pair 0fcooperating Cutter blades is asso- ;iated with the receptacle in such amanner as to chp the stems 01 the fru1t to be gathe1ed from trees, thcreceptacle being disposed below the cutter blades so as Co receive the.fruit. as the same is severed 1r0m the t1ceS.

A further ohject 0f the invention is to provide a fruit gatherer of theab0ve mentioned character, wherein the cutter blades are adapted t0 beoperated by a Person standing 011 the ground so as 130 enable the Personto gather the fruit from the trees when the ffuit is 0ut 0f the reach ofthe person.

A furt-her object. 0f the inventi'on is to provide a fruit gatherer 015the ahove mentioned character,wvherein means is providcd fmnotinailyholding the c0acting cutter blados apart whercby he san1e a1e renderedoperative at a1] times. A still further 0bject 0f the invention is t0provide a fruit gatherer 01 the ahove mentioned charmter, Which issimple in construction, inexpensive, streng and durable and furtherm01eadapted f01 Ehe purposes for which it is designated.

Other objects and advantagjes 0f this invention Will hecome apparentduring ehe course 01 the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming pa1t 0f this specification and inWhich 1ike numerals designate like arts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a top plan view 0f proved fruit gatherer, and

Fi ure 2 is a side elevational view there- 0f Wlth ehe supporting pole01 handle and operating cab1e broken away( my iman improve position 0nthe bracket 5.

pivotally supporting the free end of a substantially semi-circular bai14 in the manne1 clearly illustrated in the drawing and more clearly setforth in my cop@nding application.

Rigidly secured t0 the outer side of the bai1 4 and arranged centrallythereon is t-he bracket 5; The outer end 0f the bracket 5 is providedwith an enlarged 013ening such as is shown a1: 6 and adapted t0 l ereceived therein is the upper end 0f an elongated handle 01 pole 7 whichprovides a supporting means f0r the receptacle. The upper end of thehandle 01 pole is secured in positi0n within the opening 6 provided inthc bracket 5 by means of the set screw shown at 8 in the drawing.

The bracket 5 is further provided with an opening 9 through Whichextends the receives thereon a nut 11 Whi0h provides a means forsupporting ehe arm in a rigid The upper end of the arm 10 15 providedwlth an angular extension 12 and the Same is substantially disposedinwardly m'e1" tho bag 01 recep tac].e 1. The angulm cxtension 12 isprovided with a cuting edge such as shown at 13 and thereby forms whatmay he termed as a stationary cutter b1ade, the pu1pose 0f which Willhereinafter be more fu1ly described.

Pivotally supported intermediate its ends 011 the angular extension 12is the elongated lever 14. The pivocal connection is '111us trated ab 15in Figure 1 0f the drawing. The inner end 0f the lever 14 is providedWifh a cutting edge such as is shown at 16 und the same is substantiallycurved f01' coop@ration with the stationary cutter b1ade 18. The outerend 0f the 1ever 14 extends outwardly from the receptacle and thebracket 5 and is provided w'1th an eye portion 17. F01

Extending laterally fron1 the bracket 5.

is the holt 18 and tl1e same provides a 111eans f01 pivotallysupport-ing 0n tl1e bracket tl1e substantially V-shaped lever 19.

Tl1e upper end cf 0116 0f the arms 20 01 tl1e V-shaped me1nbe1 19 isprovided with an e ye 21 rece1vmg 0ne end of the short 0011- nectingcable 21. Tl1e opposite end 0f tl1e Gable 21 is connected with the eye17, at tl1e unter end 0f tl1e lever l l-. Tl1e other arm of the V-shaped member 19 is also pro-' mcled Wltl1 an eye 23 adapted t0 rece1vetl1e' Upper end of an actuating cable 24. The zictuating cable extendsdownw.ardly 212djacent the elongated handle 01 pole 7 and provides a1ne:ans f01 operating alle pivoted cupter blade in the manner to bepresently descl'ib@d.

In use, the handle 7 is raised so .as t0 plane the cutter blade over thef1uit t0 be severed tt'mm the trees 011 opposite sides 0f the ste=1n 01tl1e fruit. The actuating cable 24 is thn pulled downwardly so as t0Swing the V- shaped men1ber 190n its plvot 18 whereby the onter end 0ftl1e elongated member 14 is nioved in the direction in which theV-shzqed member is swung so as to cause llxe cutter blade 16 to bebrougl1t int0 cog pe1abion With the stationury cuttr bla'de whereby-thestern 0f the;fruit is clipped und the fruit Will drop into (l1e bag 0xl"ec'eptacle 1. lVl1en the actuating cable24 is released, the spring 18Will return tl1e f cutter blades t0 their normal separated positionsthereby again 13lacing t-l1e cutter blades 111 an operat1ve pos1t1on f01engage ment W1th othe1 ste1ns of the fru1t- 0n Ehe tree to be severed.WVhen the rece-ptacle 1 'wlmt I- clai1n is:

l1as been filled, the deVice is lowered f01 permitting ohe depositing ofthe fruil? from tl1e receptacle into alarger container o1 the like.

lt Will thus be seen from the foregoing descliption that a f1uitgatherer has been provided Wl1lCl1' is simple in construction,inexpensive, st rong and drable andthe vparts so arranged a's to enablea person' to esily and efliciently operate the cutterblade in such amanner as so sever the fruit) fr o n1 the trees without injuring tl1efruit.

lVl1ile l have shown the preferred einbodin1ent 0f1ny invention, it ist0 be understood filmt various changes in the size, shape andarrangementof parts may be resorted Co wit-houtdeparting froni thespirit 0f the invention and the scppe of the app endd claini.

Hav1ng tl1us descr1bed the mvent1on,

. fruit gatherer comprising dsulostantially semicircular b'ail, forsupporting a1 'receptacle, the 1nterme d1ate port1on ofsaid bail beingprovided with a bracket, said bracket being provided with an opening f0rreception of tl1e upper end of a supporting lmndle the bracket'be1ngalso provided Wih' z1notlxer' openlng, an arm havinga downturnedportion, the f1ee end of said downtu1ned portion being serew tlueadedand exlended through tl1e second nanied opening in said bracket, theUpper portionof said arm being directed laterally t0 overlietherenepacle, u lever pivotally connected intermediat@ its ends to tl1elaterally direcled portion 0f said arm; a coil spring connecled at 0n0end t0 said lateral portion and at its opposite end t0 the intermediateportion 0f Sa id lever, a hell crunk pivotally mounted on said bracket,a flexible connection be t\veen one arm of Sind sp11ng and tl1e outerend of said lever*and a pull cable c0nnected witl1 tl1e remaining arm ofsaid crank.

In test1mony whereof I afi"1x mymgnature.

RENKA H. SIEFKEN

